This invention is directed to the field of brush assemblies, more particularly to a brush assembly having a removable and disposable brush head that has a preferred use as a toilet bowl brush.
The present invention, in a preferred embodiment, relates to a toilet bowl brush assembly that has a removable and disposable head. Toilet brushes normally comprise plastic or wooden handles to which a brush or mop head is rigidly and permanently secured. When such brushes are worn, they must be replaced, and if the cleaning operation is a commercial establishment, frequent replacement can be expensive. Over and above the replacement issue, what may be more significant is the fact that such brushes are used in an environment that fosters germ growth. Traditionally, after use, the brushes are set aside in a portable cradle or merely placed in a closet. While such brushes offer a convenient place for spawning germ growth, the odors may also be offensive.
Disposable brushes have become known, but cost remains a concern for their broad use. The prior art offers a number of brush assemblies which include throw away brush heads. Certain of this prior art is reflected in the following U.S. Patents:
a.) U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,307, to Baudoin, teaches a kit for aiding in the drying and curling of hair. The kit includes plurality of brushes which may be twisted into the hair and allowed to remain for a period of time to set a curl. Each of the brushes has a connector to which a handle can be removably attached such that a single handle can be used with all of the brushes in the kit.
b.) U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,615, to Carter, relates to a hand-holdable tool including a handle that is detachably connected to a head unit by a locking and release mechanism that has a snap lock on the handle and a snap lock receiver located interiorly of the head unit. A soap impregnated cleaning pad of special steel can be attached to the head unit.
c.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,038, to Hammond, describes a permanent handle for a disposable brush or mop head. The handle comprises an elongated hollow body having a bottom and top end, the bottom end to releasably and frictionally engage a disposable brush or mop head and secure it in working position on the handle body. When it is desired to change the head, a plunger longitudinally movable within the elongated body is manipulated by the user to bear against a portion of the brush or mop head and dislodge it from frictional engagement with the body. In this manner the operator can avoid touching a soiled brush or mop head when removing it from the handle for replacement.
d.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,852, to Cupp et al., teaches an applicator for applying a liquid coating to a suitable object that includes a pad and a detachable handle. The pad includes a cushion, working means applied to the cushion lower surface, and a backing plate secured to the cushion upper surface. The plate is provided with hooks extending upwardly from its upper surface, and each hook is arranged along one of three sides of an imaginary square so as to capture an object slidably inserted into this imaginary square from the fourth side thereof The handle has, adjacent one end, an outturned square perimetrical flange which is adapted to be inserted into engagement with the hooks at any of four angular positions. The applicator may further include an adapter arranged to be inserted into the open end of the tube-like handle, to modify the same to matingly receive the threaded end portion of an extension pole.
The prior art enumerated above are several examples that offer a brush like member having a removable head for one reason or another. None, however, present a sanitary device that is suitable for cleaning toilet bowls, while including, among other features, means to release the used head without the user having to handle the brush head. The manner by which the present invention achieves the goals hereof will become more apparent in the description which follows, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
This invention is directed to a low cost and convenient means for cleaning and sanitizing a toilet bowl, for example, more particularly a brush assembly that includes a removable brush head that may be thrown away without requiring the user to handle the brush head. The assembly comprises a hand held tool having an elongated, hand gripping handle, terminating in a diverging end for removably receiving a concave housing member mounting brushing and scrubbing elements on its exterior, and a cam receiving opening on the opposite surface. To partially secure the concave housing member to the diverging end, the housing member includes a male tab for sliding engagement to a complementary female slot in the front face of the diverging end. The elongated handle is further characterized by a channel extending from a midpoint along the exterior through the interior terminating within the diverging end. Within the channel is a spring loaded rod mounting a cam member at its free end, where said cam member is sized to engage said cam receiving opening. In a first mode the cam member and complementary opening provide means to maintain the engagement of the housing member to the diverging end. However, when turned about 90xc2x0 by a manual knob at the other end of the rod, designating a second mode, the cam member becomes aligned with the complementary opening such that the cam member may be released therefrom. Once released, it is a simple matter to slide the housing member relative to the diverging end to free the housing member for easy disposal.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is a sanitary household device for cleaning toilet bowls, where the device incorporates a manually operable locking mechanism for releasing a throw away brushing element.
Another object hereof is the provision of secondary, cooperating locking members to secure the throw away brushing element to the handle of the device.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a throw away brushing element that may incorporate plural brushing elements, such as bristles and a scrubbing pad.
Still another object hereof is a throw away brushing element comprising a concave housing having a cam receiving opening forming a part of the locking mechanism.